Canada’s federal budget arrives while households are managing higher everyday costs. Rob Breakenridge considers the growing tension between government spending and personal affordability, and why Canadians might want to look beyond the headline deficit numbers.
You’re paying more for groceries, fuel and other essentials. Some government revenues rise alongside those prices, yet the federal budget remains in deficit. How should Canadians judge the government’s financial progress when their own budgets are already under pressure? And what happens if borrowing eventually leads to new demands on taxpayers?
There’s also the cost of carrying the debt itself. Interest payments compete with the money available for government programmes and future promises. Rob weighs the significance of those costs, the government’s investment priorities and the question of how long the current approach can continue.
Topics: Canadian federal budget, government debt, cost of living, federal spending, tax policy
GUEST: Rob Breakenridge | robbreakenridge.ca
Originally aired on2026-11-05
